Second Time is the Charm
by Dreamy-Heichou
Summary: Levi rejected Eren three years ago and deeply regrets it now that he realized how profoundly in love he is with the man. As he hears the news that his girlfriend proposed to him, making Levi lose all hope of winning back the love of his life, he is given the opportunity to go back in time and make things right with Eren.
1. Chapter 1: Time Limit

Levi was lazily laying on his couch, some random TV show playing on the screen in front of him, but he was paying it no mind. His thoughts were elsewhere entirely, strolling down memory lane, having flashbacks of a time he couldn't go back to. It had been his own stubbornness and foolishness that had broken the only relationship he had ever cherished, which had driven away the person he had cared for the most in his life. If he hadn't been so blind, so oblivious to his own feelings, but also if he had learned to put his pride aside and be honest with himself and the people around him, maybe things would have turned out differently.

However, he hadn't, and now he was sitting in his gloomy apartment on a Saturday night, alone, while all his friends were probably having the time of their life at the party he had declined the invitation to. He hadn't felt like going, especially because he knew who would be there, and more specifically with who that person would be with.

It had been three years since the last time they had really talked, three years since that dreadful day when he had stupidly turned down his best friend's feelings despite his own, and maybe a year since he had started dating someone else. Levi knew they would come together to the party, so why should he go then? To torture himself even more? To see what he could have had with him, the future he had destroyed with his own hands and harsh words? No, he would pass on that.

As he was wallowing in self-pity and remorse, his phone started to ring from under the cushions. Levi first ignored it, not in the mood to talk to anybody, but then it started ringing a second time, and a third. Pissed off, he threw the cushions across the room to find his phone and cursed under his breath when he saw the caller ID. Jean. No wonder it kept ringing. When he had something he really wanted to say, he would call until the person picked up.

"What?" was Levi's greeting as soon as he answered the call, irritation easily recognizable in his tone.

"Dude! How long does it take you to answer a phone call?" Jean replied, his voice cheery and not at all fazed by the harsh tone he just got. "Forget that, I have something huge to tell you! You missed the event of the year, man!"

Levi sighed loudly, already feeling his head throbbing, loud music audible in the background. He was suddenly glad he hadn't gone, no matter what 'big event' he had missed.

"What is it?"

"You'll never believe it, but someone proposed tonight!"

Levi laid his head on the backrest of the couch, looking up at the ceiling. Someone proposed? Probably Ymir, she had been talking about marrying Historia a lot recently. He didn't really care. It was almost as if the two girls were already married anyway. What was the big deal?

"Ymir, right? About damn time."

"No, dude! Someone more surprising! Like, no one was expecting it, it was wild! Man, I wish you'd been there to see it!"

"Just get to the point, Jean, I'm not in the mood for riddles."

"Alright, alright! Get your ass seated, because you're not going to believe this." Levi waited a few seconds, starting to get annoyed by the whole mystery show his friend was putting on, but it all faded away with his next words. "Mikasa! She fucking proposed in the middle of the garden, kneeling on the ground and all that shit, a box in her hands! I should have recorded it, it was fucking epic!"

Levi swallowed hard. Mikasa. Eren's girlfriend. The woman who had managed to win over the heart he had broken three years ago. The woman he couldn't help but envy every single minute of every single day for being with the man he was so desperately in love with. Mikasa had proposed to Eren.

Levi felt his world falling apart.

"Oh?" He tried to keep a steady voice but it was hard when his throat was becoming so tight. "What did Eren say?"

"Yes, duh!" Levi's heart stopped for a second time. "Why would I be this excited otherwise? Dude, I'm the one who's drunk here."

He tried to collect himself, tried not to break there and then, while still on the phone. He couldn't blame Jean for breaking the news like that to him. He didn't know what had happened between Levi and Eren, had no idea what kind of feelings the raven held close to his heart. No one really did actually, because he never talked about his feelings. Jean had assumed Levi would be happy for them since they were his friends. Or at least Eren used to be, but Jean didn't know that either, because Eren always acted like nothing had happened in front of their mutual friends, same for Levi. No one knew.

"That would explain why you keep calling me dude."

"Ah, yeah! Forgot you don't like that!" Jean laughed, and Levi recognized his drunk hyena laugh. It was better like that anyway, at least he wouldn't realize how affected Levi was by the news. No matter how hard he was trying to hide it, he knew his voice was betraying him. "Anyway, we need to throw them a party! You gonna help me, right? Damn, it's gonna be wild!"

Levi tried to cut the conversation short before he would actually break down on the phone, Jean's enthusiasm for the newly engaged couple breaking his heart even more by the minute. He needed to yell or punch something. He needed to laugh at the irony or cry in despair. He needed to be alone.

The moment he hung up, he threw his phone on the couch next to him, not caring when it rebounded and ended up on the floor. He put his head in his hands, the news going in circle in his mind until it all sunk down. Eren was engaged now. He was even more out of reach than he had already been before.

What had Levi done? Why did it come down to this? Why didn't he realize his feelings before it was too late? Why had their timing been so off? He could have been happy with Eren if only he hadn't rejected him three years ago, but now he would never be able to convey his feelings to him and make things right between them. It was all over. It had already been hard on him seeing the two of them happy together, holding hands and more, and now they were going to get married? Levi couldn't even imagine seeing Eren by somebody else's side, smiling happily at them while exchanging eternal vows of love. He wouldn't be able to go through that. It was too much for his broken and sickly in love heart.

His eyes started to sting badly, and before he could even understand what was happening, he felt his hands becoming wet. Was he crying? How long had it been since the last time he had? Probably a decade or so, he wasn't someone who cried easily. However, right now, the pain in his chest was so intense, so vivid, that he couldn't hold back the tears coming out of his eyes. He was broken, like his heart had been ripped out of his chest, trampled on multiples times, and then put back in its place. But he also felt empty, drained, hollow.

"Oh, don't cry, sweetheart!"

Levi raised his head so fast that for a moment he thought he would get whiplash, his neck cracking under the sudden movement, but he paid it no mind. He had heard a voice coming not too far from his position on the couch, from inside his apartment which was supposed to be empty besides him, and now his heart was beating faster but for very different reasons. Had someone broken into his apartment? Did it happen while he was feeling sorry for himself, numb to the world around him?

He looked left and right, searching for the person who had talked to him, his fists clenching and his body growing tense. He couldn't see anyone from where he was sitting but there was something in the air making his body shiver and he couldn't shake that feeling. Did he have an auditory hallucination or had he really heard right?

"Who is there? Get the fuck out!" He shouted, his voice not sounding as menacing as he would have liked to, a lump still in his throat.

"No need to be this rude, I'm here."

Levi turned his head into the direction of the voice and his jaw dropped. In front of him was standing a… woman? Man? He actually had no idea. Their hair was a caramel brown, held into a ponytail but still sticking into every direction and framing their face messily. They had round and big glasses on their nose, hiding two mischievous brown orbs behind them. The person was dressed in a purple suit, their white shirt wrinkled everywhere, their hands on their hips and a triumphant look on their face.

He couldn't believe it. Someone had really broken into his apartment. It was hard for him to conceive it could happen when he clearly remembered closing the door and putting the lock on, like every night, and didn't remember hearing anyone forcing it. Still there was definitely a person standing there, right in front of him, acting all proud and mighty, like they were already owning the place. On the very evening he wanted to be left alone. Rage started to fill every cell of his body.

"Who the hell are you? I said get the fuck out!"

Levi looked around him and took the only cushion left on the couch and immediately threw it at the person's face, demonstrating his point and also creating a diversion while he jumped to seize his phone lying on the floor. However, the object never reached its target. Not because Levi hadn't aimed correctly, he was very good at it and would have hit the bull's-eye if the person hadn't _vanished_.

He looked all over the room, his eyes darting left and right, one hand coming to hold his head as he started to feel a little dizzy. Was he really having hallucinations now? That would be the fucking cherry on top of the cake. Like he didn't have enough problems to deal with already. The same cheery voice cut his thoughts short though, startling and taking him by surprise.

"That wasn't very nice! It would have hit me!"

The voice was coming from behind him and Levi swallowed dryly before turning his torso towards the direction he had heard the person. His eyes widened when he saw them standing right behind him, arms crossed in front of their chest, an exaggerated pout on their face.

"Who- _What_ are you?" Levi asked, voice shaking with bewilderment.

"That isn't very nice either, but I'll answer your question anyway." They cleared their throat and then put their fists on their hips, holding their head high with pride. "I am your fairy godmother, Levi!"

Levi only raised an eyebrow at their statement, looking at them with a bored expression and skeptical look. Were they trying to make him believe that those fairy tale nonsenses existed? Fair enough they seemed to be able to do… _magical_ stuff, or whatever that had been, but were they really being serious right now?

"How come no one ever believes me when I say that!?" The person whined in front of Levi's non-reaction.

"Maybe because it sounds like a bunch a crap."

"I guess you're right." They sighed, disappointed. "But it was actually half true! I am a fairy!" Levi's face became even more skeptical and bored, making them whine in frustration. "I am, though! Why can't you believe me?"

"I don't know. Maybe because you look like _this_?" Levi gestured to their overall very messy appearance. "And where are you wings, _fairy_?" He also asked mockingly.

"Wings are just something humans invented. I don't need some to fly." They shrugged, almost a bit irritated. Levi once again quirked an eyebrow in disbelief, which he regretted a second later when they disappeared again in front of him and reappeared right next to him, their voice directly in his ear. "See? I don't need them!"

"Holy fucking shit! Don't do that!" His heart had been on the verge of jumping out of his chest because of the surprise and it took him a few minutes to calm his heartbeat.

"Sorry, sorry! That was only a small demonstration for you to believe me." They laughed wholeheartedly, obviously amused by Levi's reaction.

"Fine, I believe you, _fairy_. Now tell me why the hell are you here?" Levi sighed, giving up on rational thoughts and surrendering to believe what he would have said was impossible ten minutes ago.

"First things first, let me introduce myself more formally." They seated more comfortably on the couch next to Levi, and he did the same to face them. "My name is Hanji, and like I said, I am a fairy. My job is to help humans like you who have too many regrets in their life and are miserable."

"I am _not_ miserable." Levi growled, acting very defensively.

"Oh, come on, honey! I've been studying you for a while, and you are. You were also crying before I came here!"

"I wasn't-" Levi started, but they didn't let him finish.

"Shush! You were! And I'll need you to leave your ego behind if we want this to work! It's what caused all of this in the first place, after all."

"And what would you know, huh?" Levi started seeing red, not really liking being called out by a perfect stranger.

"Oh, I know everything about you, sugar! I've studied your past, your present and your future! There's nothing I don't know about you, _Levi_." They put a finger on his lips before he could talk back. "We don't have time for this, so you'll have to kindly listen to me."

"Fine. What do you want?"

"It isn't about what _I_ want, but about what _you_ want. Having a second chance with Eren."

Levi's breath hitched in his throat and he watched them warily but also hopefully. "You… You can do that? H-How?"

"Yes, I can. And that's exactly what I'm here to discuss with you." They waited until they knew they had Levi's undivided attention and then resumed with a grin on their face. "My powers will allow you to fix one of your biggest regrets by going back in time. However!" They shouted dramatically, keeping the raven on edge. "You'll only be allowed six hours to do so, and you'll only have one shot at it. No second chances! Or should I say, no third."

Levi stared at them with a blank expression for a few seconds, not really sure about what had been going on since the moment they appeared in his living room. If he was understanding everything right, a fairy going by the name of Hanji with a very messy appearance had been watching him for a while, realizing he had regrets, and were now offering him to turn back time to fix the biggest one of them, so that he could have a second chance with Eren and thus prevent him from getting engaged? Hadn't he been so desperate, he would have laughed and ignored it, going to his room to sleep it off in order to make it pass as a weird dream.

However, he couldn't completely ignore it. If he hadn't turned completely crazy and what they were saying was true, it meant he could make things right between him and Eren. He could have what he had destroyed and build a brighter future for himself, by Eren's side. He could avoid breaking the brunet's heart and his own at the same time. He would have a second chance.

"Fine. How does it work?"

"I knew you'd accept!" Hanji exclaimed gleefully. "All you have to do is close your eyes, and think about your biggest regret, and I'll send you back there to fix it."

"That's it?" Levi raised an eyebrow. He had been expecting something more magical or maybe something more spectacular.

"Hush! Close your eyes now!" Levi rolled his eyes before closing them as instructed and thought back of that day three years ago which had changed everything in his life. "Remember Levi, you'll only have six hours. Don't waste them!"

Before he had the time to reply, he felt a throbbing pain invading his skull and his chest constrict as if he was being pressed between two walls. He was feeling extremely dizzy and as if he was going to throw up his diner until suddenly the sickening feeling stopped and he felt a hand on his shoulder, startling him.

"You okay? You look really pale all of the sudden."

Levi opened his eyes wide, recognizing the voice, and saw two vivid green eyes looking straight at him with concern, as well as two thick brown eyebrows furrowed in worry. It had been so long since Levi had had the opportunity to take his time looking at Eren that he suddenly felt short of breath, especially because of the proximity between the two of them. The man had let his hair grow after their last exchange on this very day, so it had been a while since he had seen him with short hair too.

Levi felt like crying. He also wanted to hug and kiss the brunet standing in front of him. It was so overwhelming to be able to see him so close, to not hear despise in his voice when he was talking to him but affection instead, and to feel the warmth of his body so close to his. How could he have been so blind to his own feelings back then? It was still a mystery to him.

"I'm fine. I just felt dizzy for a second." Levi tried to reassure him, missing the sensation of his hand on his shoulder the moment he removed it. Eren cocked an eyebrow at him, obviously not buying anything he had just said.

"You sure? We can go back and do this another day." Panic rose inside Levi's chest and he quickly replied to dissipate his friend's concerns.

"I told you, I'm fine. Besides, we're already here."

Levi looked around himself, trying to pinpoint the exact moment he had gone back to and see where 'here' was exactly. It didn't take him long to recognize where they were and flashbacks of the day he had already experienced came back to him. They were currently at the movie theater, on their way to watch the film they had been meaning to see together for a while. However, Levi could clearly remember that they had been disappointed with it and had regretted going to watch it. Besides, he wanted to be able to fully enjoy his time with Eren. Sitting for more than two hours in a dark room with few opportunities to talk wasn't the best choice for that.

"Now that I think about it, I'd feel much better if we were outside and not locked up in a small dark room. Come on."

Without hesitation, Levi took Eren's hand in his, not missing the jolt of surprise and the blush appearing on the brunet's cheeks, and led him outside the building. He was feeling better than he had felt in a long time, his chest buzzing with happiness and excitement. He wanted to enjoy every second in Eren's company, see his smile and hear his voice. He would make the most of the six hours that were given to him and make things right with Eren.

"But what about the movie? You wanted to watch it, right?"

"We can always come back another day for that. It's a gorgeous day, let's make the most of it."

Levi didn't miss the flicker of fear that appeared in Eren's eyes when he talked about coming back another day, but it was gone as soon as he had noticed it. He remembered how Eren had organized this whole day as a 'last date' in case his confession wouldn't go smoothly, which in the end had ended up being the case, but Levi knew they both had nothing to worry about this time. Their feelings were mutual, and by the end of the day he would make sure to put a genuine smile on Eren's face and make him forget about his apprehension.

They first headed to a coffee shop, one of their favorites, especially on sunny days when they could sit outside and enjoy the sun shining on their skin and the soft breeze brushing their cheeks and hair. It was June, right after their final exams of their third year in university, so the temperature wasn't too hot yet. It was warm enough for them to feel comfortable without freezing and not warm enough to be overheating and sweating. It was the kind of weather where it was still bearable to drink something warm, even though Eren still went for an iced latte while Levi ordered his usual tea.

They chatted energetically, something Levi had missed in the three years Eren and him hadn't been seeing each other. He had missed listening to Eren talking about his current favorite video games and how he had spent maybe too many hours on it, or talking about his atrocious attempt at cooking gone wrong – as per usual. He had missed hearing his laughter, seeing that glint in his eyes every time he would smile, or the attention he would give him when he was the one talking. He had missed this.

He had missed him.

Levi didn't know when was the last time he had smiled so much. He didn't show emotions very easily to others, but Eren had always been one of the very few people able to get spontaneous and honest reactions from him, and as he had lost him, he had lost this too. How long had it been since he had genuinely laughed or smiled? Since he had felt happiness bubbling inside his chest, making his body twitch in excitement? The answer was probably three years, as it always was. Eren was his ray of sunshine and when he had lost him, he had lost his ability to smile as well.

His cheeks were hurting him now. His whole face was actually, his facial muscles not used to all those emotions anymore. It was weird, because he was back in his twenty-one-self body which should still be used to it, but his muscles hurt nonetheless. Maybe it was only psychological, but he didn't care that much. He would continue smiling as long as he would be in Eren's presence.

"You're being uncharacteristically cheerful today. What's up?" Eren asked once they had both finished their drinks and were just chilling out in the sun, like solar panels packing energy.

"Do I need a reason? Besides, I'm always cheerful." Levi shrugged, repressing a smirk to look serious.

"Yeah, sure, and I'm a five-star chef."

It wasn't even that funny, but Levi found himself laughing anyway. Their banters were something he had missed too. Fair enough, he missed everything about Eren, or at least the good parts. He would undoubtedly do without the fights and insults.

Eventually they left the café and went to the batting center. It was Levi's idea, though he had never played baseball in his life before. It was more Eren's thing. He had been playing since he was a kid and had been in the baseball club in high school, and that was the exact reason why Levi had chosen this place. He knew Eren would be thrilled to go there. He had been talking about playing baseball again for a while, but Levi hadn't listened to him much back then. Now, all he wanted was to make sure Eren had the time of his life during their date before he had to go back to his own timeline.

It turned out that going to a batting center had been the best idea Levi had ever had in a while, because not knowing how to play meant being taught how to swing a bat. Meant having Eren standing right behind him, putting his hands on his hips and shoulders to show him the correct position, and then on his hands to show him how to hit the ball correctly. His whole body set on fire every time Eren touched him and his breath caressing his neck sent shivers down his spine. His heartbeat had increased too, hammering in his chest, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling. He found himself missing Eren's body heat as soon as the brunet let Levi swing the bat on his own, needing to feel his body pressed against him once more.

However, the second he managed to hit his first ball, he found himself wrapped into a tight embrace and Eren shouting things along the lines of "You did it!" while hugging him in celebration, and Levi found himself at ease once more. With his head buried in Eren's chest, he could smell his fragrance, a mix of spice and fruit he had come to love and still did, and for a moment he closed his eyes, appreciating the feeling and the scent, relishing in it as if it was the last time he could do so. He had no idea how this day was going to end, but in this particular moment, he was happy.

That exhilaration didn't seem like it would leave soon, at least not while he was in Eren's company. After swinging and hitting a few balls, they went to the nearest park, just walking while enjoying the evening breeze, and talking. Levi was being very careful not to have any slip ups and say things related to the future, but he found it easy to go back to his old conversation patterns with Eren without any kind of trouble. He surprised himself by remembering a lot of details about events that had happened at the time, knowing exactly what Eren was talking about even if for him it had happened three years ago and not a few days ago as it should have been.

Eventually, they decided to sit on a bench after their fourth time going around the park, and Levi knew what would happen next. He still had around two hours left, and he wanted to spend them curled up with Eren instead of talking about meaningless stuff.

This was it. This was the moment for him to be honest with his feelings and tell Eren what he should have said years ago. He would be the one confessing first this time.

"Are you okay there? You're spacing out."

Eren asked while shoving his shoulder to get his attention. Levi looked back at him, his eyebrows knitted together, trying to ward off the nervousness that had started to eat at him from the inside despite his knowledge of Eren's feelings.

"Yeah, I just- I have something to tell you."

He took a deep breath, readying himself for what would come next, trying to find the right words to convey his feelings. He had never been good with putting his emotions into words, it was more Eren's department, but for him he would do his best. For him, he would put his uneasiness and pride aside in order to be honest and truthful. For him, he was ready to do anything right now.

"Is it bad? You look really serious."

Levi could see Eren's Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed, and then he noticed the brunet biting the inside of his cheek, probably starting to get anxious. His next move was both to reassure him but also himself, needing the skin contact to appease his nerves and concentrate on something else other than his beating heart. Eren flinched slightly when Levi took his hand in his, but then seemed to relax a little bit.

"It isn't bad, but it is serious. I'm just not sure how to phrase it, so bear with me, okay?" Eren nodded slowly and Levi took another deep breath before starting to put words on the thoughts in his head. "I'm not entirely sure when this started, I guess it just came naturally – I mean we've been friends for what now, six years? We're always together, you're the first person I tell stuff, sometimes the only one since I don't talk much – but I always seem to talk a lot with you. You just make me feel, I don't know, at ease? More at peace with myself? It's just easy to talk when I'm with you, and I do feel at ease. Comfortable. That's how I feel in your presence."

Levi could sense his thoughts biting their own tail as he was dancing around what he wanted to say the most, but Eren still silently and patiently listened to him, looking a bit more confused and lost as the raven kept talking. But there was also this small glint of softness Levi could see from time to time when the brunet would look at him or listen to him, and that encouraged him to keep going despite his messy speech.

"What I'm trying to say, is… I like how I feel when I'm with you. I like the way I am when we are together. And more importantly…" He made sure to keep eye contact with Eren as he said all of that, and especially for what he said next, his eyes turning soft and tender compared to the nervous and serious glare he had on before.

"I like you."

Eren's breath hitched and he opened his mouth in surprise, probably not expecting a confession from the raven. Levi squeezed his hands gently, letting him know it was real, and watched his cheeks become red once realization hit him. The brunet looked like he needed more time to process everything though, if him looking dumbstruck and completely lost was any hint. He also looked relieved, liberated, probably because he had had no idea what the raven's feelings were and had been stressing over his own confession. In a way Levi was cheating, since he already knew his answer.

"Wh-What?" Eren finally managed to say but he was a stuttering and blushing mess. "But I- I was the one who was going to- to say that."

"Hmm? Say what?" Levi asked him, well aware as to what he was talking about, though Eren had no idea he knew so he had the right to tease him a little. It was too good of an opportunity to pass.

"That I… That I like you…" Eren whispered while lowering his head and looking at their joined hands. If Levi hadn't known what he had been meaning to say he would have thought he had imagined it.

"What was that? I didn't get it."

Eren lifted his head, determination firing in his beautiful eyes and Levi couldn't hold back the smile that took over his face.

"I like you too, you ass!"

"That's not a nice way to call the person you like." He feigned being hurt and Eren freed one of his hands to shove his shoulder in annoyance.

"I hate you."

Levi would lie if he said his heart didn't drop a beat at the word 'hate', but it had been said in such a bashful and cute way that he soon found himself smiling again, cupping one side of Eren's face, feeling the heat emanating from his cheeks under his palm.

"No, you don't."

They were now both looking at each other, incapable of turning their gaze away. Levi could feel his heart still beating at a fast rate in his chest and wondered for a moment if Eren could feel it from the pulsing point of his wrist. He slid his fingers on the one on Eren's neck, feeling the brunet's heartbeat under his fingers. It was also fast and erratic, and Levi could feel something warm buzz inside his chest and anticipation boiling inside his stomach.

"You're right… I really don't…"

He didn't know when they had started to get closer, nor if he had been the one to initiate it or if it had been Eren, but soon their foreheads and noses were touching, their breaths meddling with one another. Eren smelled like the energized drink he had drunk at the batting center and even though Levi wasn't a big fan of those drinks, far too sweet in his opinion, he couldn't wait to taste it on Eren's lips and tongue.

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi's shoulders, leaving him no room to escape – not that Levi would have tried anyway, he was right where he wanted to be. The next second, their lips connected, soft and shy at first, as if they were both testing the waters, giving the other time to back away if he still wanted. They moved back to look into each other's eyes and the blissed-out look Levi saw on Eren's face spurred him on to initiate another kiss which couldn't compare to the tenderness of the first. It was fast, needy, passionate. Levi was intoxicated by Eren's scent and taste, and he had no intention of letting him go. He was desperately searching for his lips the moment they separated to take a breath, and every time Eren met him halfway.

Levi had never felt so complete in his life. Finally, he was able to touch and kiss Eren the way he had been wanting to for the past few years, ever since he had opened his eyes to his own feelings. He knew he was on a time limit, that soon he would have to go back to his own time and face an unknown future and present, so he also felt a little desperate. He wanted to taste Eren in every way he could, so it wasn't long before he started nipping at his bottom lip, trying to gain access to his mouth. Eren granted it to him right away and Levi immediately pushed his tongue past his lips, searching for his own, mapping every millimeter of the inside of his mouth.

Eren seemed as eager as him, and soon he was on Levi's lap, running his hands through his hair, sending shivers to Levi's spine. He let the raven ravished him from the inside, playing with his tongue but still letting him take charge of the kiss. At least for a few minutes. After that, he pushed it back inside of Levi's mouth and followed it, leading the dance they had started in their passionate making out.

They were probably looking like very needy and horny teenagers, kissing in the middle of a public place, but Levi didn't care one bit. He wasn't even aware of the people around them, of the people looking their way, because all his attention was directed towards Eren. His whole body and senses were highly sensitive to every movement and sound coming from the brunet on top of him, his hands touching, grabbing, pulling, and he didn't even care that his lips were starting to get numb. He had yearned for Eren's touch, to know how it would feel, but now it wasn't enough. He needed more. He also needed more time, but he knew he wouldn't be granted spare hours no matter what, so he only focused on enjoying every single second of it.

Eventually, they reluctantly unglued themselves from the other, out of breath and cheeks a beautiful shade of red, matching the one of their lips. Eren was still straddling Levi's hips on the bench, his arms around his shoulders and his hands in Levi's hair - which were completely messy from their intense making out session - and he didn't look like he was going to move anytime soon – not that Levi minded. The raven brought a hand to his new boyfriend's cheek and rubbed it gently, his eyes full of the love that had hurt him badly over the years but was now making him feel like the happiest person in the world.

"Fuck, you have no idea how long I've wanted to do this." Levi closed his eyes and started nuzzling Eren's neck, trying to breathe in his scent and commit everything to his memory.

"Se-Seriously? I thought I- I was the only one."

His breathing was still heavy and Levi chuckled proudly at the way he sounded completely fucked out from just kissing. He couldn't help but wonder how he would sound if they did more than that – though he immediately stopped himself, they didn't have enough time for that.

"Trust me, you weren't. Even though it took me a while to see it." A small kiss on Eren's neck made the brunet's whole body shudder under his touch and Levi felt proud to be able to get such a response from his body.

"Wh- What now?"

"Let's go to my place." His reply earned him another shove on the shoulder and Levi looked up to see Eren as flushed as a tomato, not even meeting his eyes.

"Levi!" He sounded outraged. "We just only started dating, isn't it too fast, even for you?"

Levi rolled his eyes at that. Fair enough, he had thought about it, but it wasn't what he had meant.

"Shut up, pervert. I never said we'll do anything. I just want to curl up on the couch while watching a movie or something." He pecked his boyfriend's lips tenderly and smiled at him. "What do you say?"

Eren smiled back at him with one of the most genuine and happiest smiles he had seen directed at him, and Levi could feel his heart beating faster – if it was even possible.

"If the movie comes with cuddles, I'm not against it."

Eren got up from his position on Levi's lap and held out a hand as an invitation for Levi, which he immediately took, standing next to his boyfriend while intertwining their fingers, and soon they were on their way to Levi's apartment. He didn't live very far from where they were, only a twenty-minutes walk which they spent in silence while holding hands. As soon as they were inside, they curled up under blankets on the couch, Levi resting against Eren's chest while his arms were wrapped around him, and Levi felt right at home.

He had done it. He had changed the past, and now he couldn't help but wonder how it would affect his present. To what life would he come back to in a few minutes? A life where he was happily dating Eren, or even better, living with him? He both couldn't wait to find out and didn't want to go yet. He was feeling too much comfortable here, wrapped in Eren's scent and warmth, the brunet nuzzling his nose in his hair and his hands softly caressing his sides. He never wanted to let go, never wanted it to end, but he could already feel his eyes becoming heavy and nothing he tried was helping him to stay awake.

When he opened his eyes, the heat surrounding him was gone and he was back in his apartment, the one he had moved in once he had graduated and found a job, alone. He was back to the present. He looked around, searching for hints that things had changed and that everything hadn't been a dream, but from his position on the couch he found none. No evidence he was living with someone else, no frame on the cabinet with a picture of he and Eren hinting at their new relationship, nothing. He noticed his phone was on the coffee table in front of him – and not on the floor like he remembered before going back in time – and immediately went for it. There should be clues in it.

He instantly opened his conversation with Eren and his throat tightened at the date of the last message and its content. "We need to talk" from Eren, two years ago. Nothing after that. It didn't seem like something good and his stomach dropped at the realization. He had failed. He still wasn't with Eren in the present. He couldn't yet remember everything, though he knew for certain things had changed, but somehow, he was still in the same position: without Eren by his side.

"Welcome back!" A chirpy voice resounded from behind him.

Levi immediately turned around, both relieved and confused at the sight of the messy fairy who hadn't changed one bit since the last time he saw them, hours ago. They moved to come sit next to him on the couch, and Levi only watched them silently, waiting for them to update him on what had happened. At least now he knew all of it hadn't been a dream, but he still didn't know what had changed. He could feel his old memories of not talking to Eren three years ago disappearing and being replaced by ones of dates, cuddles and kisses, but it was still a bit hazy in his head.

"How much do you remember?" They asked softly, cautious.

"I remember how I changed the past where and when you sent me back, but afterwards it's… It's still a blur. I don't know what happened…. How- Why am I not with Eren?"

"Hmm, I see. It's normal for you to be a bit confused right now, it takes a bit of time to adjust to the new memories. Let me fill you in."

Hanji put a comforting hand on his shoulder and told him everything that had happened during the three years he had no memories of.

After the day they had confessed and had started dating, everything had gone well, they had been in the first stage of their relationship, always making goo-goo eyes at each other and making out every time they could, to the point they were annoying their mutual friends. However, as months had started to pass and the passion of the early days had begun to soften, they had started fighting. At first it had just been meaningless fights which would end up in them making up right away, but as time continued to past, their fights increased as well as the time they would need to kiss and make up.

A lot of them had been born from Levi being very secretive about his feelings and not voicing his thoughts often, and some had been from Eren being very stubborn and clingy. At some point it had just blown up, Eren reproaching Levi of being too closed off and not paying him enough attention. All Eren had been asking of him was to make a bit of an effort to talk more to him, at least about what really mattered, and also to consult him first instead of always doing everything on his own. However, Levi being the proud and stubborn person that he was – or at least used to be – had been dead set against admitting his faults.

They had ended up breaking up, only a year into their relationship.

Levi couldn't believe what he had just heard. He had done everything he could to fix everything, but it hadn't been enough. No matter if he had come back as a changed man or if he had repaired his mistakes, once his mission over, his old foolish self had returned and taken over from him, ruining everything because he hadn't learned yet what was important. There was no denying that his past mistakes had changed Levi and that he had learned from them, making him a better man than he used to be. But why did he have to lose everything to learn what was important to him? Why couldn't he cherish it while it was still within his reach?

Because that was how a person grew and learned. Because sometimes you have to make a big mistake in order to know how to make things right. However, the price to become a better man had been too high to pay, and now here he was again, alone in his apartment, his relationship with Eren still broken. He had only spent a year in his company, but he couldn't even remember it. Even if the memories came back to him, it would still be a different him who would have experienced them. It would be the same as watching a movie.

"What about Eren now? Is he…?" Levi tried asking, his voice thick with regret and disappointment.

"He's dating Mikasa, yes. A year after you guys broke up, she asked him out, as you remember." Levi's chest felt too tight all of a sudden. Why had this happened?

"So, the only thing that changed is that Eren and I dated for a year, and now he's not bitter because I rejected him and broke his heart, but because I didn't fight enough for our relationship…"

Hanji only nodded at that and Levi didn't say anything more, still trying to digest the news. If Eren was dating Mikasa in this present too, it meant they were still engaged. Levi was too late once more in winning him back. He was feeling exhausted and pathetic.

"I'm sorry it didn't work out well, Levi. Unfortunately, like I said, I can't send you back again."

"I know, it's okay… I brought this upon myself anyway."

"I can't send you back again, it's true, however…" Hanji paused, eyeing Levi from the corner of their eyes, gauging his reaction. Levi didn't want to get his hopes up, but he was still attentive to what they had to say. "I wanted to help you a little more, so I did something. Let's say it's a gift from me."

"A gift…? What did you do?" He watched Hanji get up from the couch and stand in front of him, their hands on their hips, a small smug smile on their face, the same as when they had introduced themselves to him.

"When I brought you back to the present, I didn't bring you at the exact moment you left." They said victorious, and Levi had to take a minute for the information to sink in and understand what it implied.

The moment he understood, he jumped on his feet and looked at the time on his phone, his heart beating rapidly and his mind starting to go into overdrive. It was still six p.m, which meant four hours before the phone call he would receive from Jean. Eren wasn't engaged yet. Mikasa wouldn't pop the question before a few hours at least. Levi still had a chance to make things right and change the future.

"That's perfect, Hanji!"

Levi ruffled their hair to show them how much he appreciated the gesture and then was on his way to Jean's house, running like he never had in his life before, his mind full of the possibilities that were still lying in front of him.

He still had time. He could still prevent Mikasa from proposing to Eren, or at least he had time to talk to him before it happened. No matter what Eren would say that night, to him, to his girlfriend, as long as Levi had the chance to say what he had on his heart, he wouldn't mind. At least he would know that he had tried everything that was in his power. At least he wouldn't have regrets.

He had been giving a second chance, and he wasn't going to ruin it.


	2. Chapter 2: Confession

Levi pressed his foot harder on the accelerator, ignoring the arrow on his speedometer indicating he was driving above the speed limit. His mind was racing, memories of the last three years he had changed coming back to him in waves, making him want to bang his head on the steering wheel. He felt like he was going through an out-of-body experience as he remembered himself fighting with Eren, saying words he didn't even mean and acting as an emotionless jerk. How could it have been him saying and doing all these things? How could someone change so much in such a small amount of time?

Regrets and desperation changed a man, he realized. And desperate he was, he reminded himself as he passed another traffic light just before it turned red. He normally wasn't one to drive this carelessly, but right now all he cared about was arriving on time to talk to Eren, before it was too late.

The tires screeched as he stopped the car messily on the side of the road, right in front of the Kirstein's house where music could be heard even from the outside. He didn't waste time getting out of his car and closing it before reaching the front door to hurry inside. As he passed the threshold, he was assaulted by the smell of alcohol and pizza, as well as the even louder sound of music mixed with voices and laughter. He barely had time to reach the living room, already glancing around in search of the man he had come to look for, before a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Levi! My favorite man! I didn't think you'd come!"

Levi turned his head to see Jean smiling widely at him, a bottle of beer in the hand that wasn't touching him. The raven moved his shoulder back a little to get out of his friend's grip, ignoring his pout as he continued his search for Eren with his eyes.

"I need to speak with Eren. Where is he?"

Jean snorted at his question, downing another sip of the amber liquid. However, when he realized how serious Levi had been, he pointed in the direction of the French windows behind them with his chin.

"He's in the garden."

Ignoring Jean's inquiries as to why he was in such a hurry, Levi walked to the window and went outside, glancing around until his eyes landed on the back of the brunet he so desperately loved. His face softened in relief before it was replaced by hurt as he saw the woman standing right next to him whispering in his ear. He shook his head to fight off the sound of Eren's laughter reaching his ears and made a beeline to join the brunet and his friends.

"Levi! What a surprise!"

Armin, Eren's best friend, was the first to notice him approaching. Levi could sense in his tone the genuine surprise but also the apprehension as he glanced at his two friends standing next to him, probably warning them of their visitor with his greeting. Mikasa immediately turned her head, throwing daggers at him with her dark eyes and tightening her grip on Eren's arm as Levi stopped in front of them, while Eren casually continued drinking his bottle of alcohol, ignoring him completely.

"Armin." Levi first greeted him.

He had nothing against the blond man and actually appreciated him. He was always very objective in his reasoning and hadn't chastised him after his and Eren's break up. Maybe it had been because Armin was dating Levi's best friend, Erwin, and thus was spending a lot of late nights in his company, but considering how protective of Eren he could sometimes be, Levi had appreciated him not turning it into a personal war like Mikasa had, and not putting his relationship with Erwin at risk because of it. Besides, it had helped him having some updates on Eren's life while he couldn't hear it from the said person.

"Eren."

Levi kept a straight face as Mikasa was emanating murdering vibes, her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance and hatred, while he waited for the brunet to look back at him. Which he did, but not without taking his sweet time, as if he had made pissing Levi off his mission. Maybe it would have worked a few years back but today it didn't. Levi just waited patiently for the man to look at him, acknowledge him, so that he could finally speak with him.

"Can I talk to you?"

Under any other circumstances, Levi might have laughed at the way the dark-haired woman started shaking with rage at his statement, the veins on her forehead popping out and becoming very visible to anyone who would look at her, or at the way her eyebrows knitted together even more, making her look like she had a unibrow. However, the raven hardly cared about her reaction. The only one he cared about and was waiting for, nervousness building up in his stomach, was Eren's. The brunet narrowed his eyes at him, trying to gauge his intentions maybe, but said nothing, increasing Levi's desperation.

"_Please_. It's important."

Levi didn't miss the way Eren's eyes widened slightly at his words. The raven wasn't known to beg people for things he needed, and it might be the first time he had used this word in front of other people. He was ready to use whatever would help him to convince Eren, even if it meant imploring him.

"Eren, maybe you could hear him out? It seems serious." Armin intervened, and Levi sent him a silent thank you which he knew the blond had understood as he nodded back to him.

Silence fell on the four of them for what felt like hours before Levi heard Eren let out a deep sigh as he turned to face the raven. His face showed no sign of affection or care, contrasting with the loving look Levi had seen in his green eyes what was hours ago for him but years for the brunet.

"Alright. What do you want?" Eren crossed his arms in front of his chest, acting like he wanted nothing more than to be done with it as soon as possible.

"Not here." Levi gave a quick look at the raven who was still watching him closely. "I need to speak to you _alone_."

Mikasa's eyes narrowed even more at his statement and she took one step closer before Eren stopped her by taking her hand in his. Levi immediately turned his gaze away, feeling his heart crack at the sight of it. He planted his nails deep into his palms to suppress his need to take Eren as far away as possible from her, jealousy eating him from the inside.

"It's okay, Mika. I won't be long."

Eren planted a kiss on her cheek before releasing her hand and following Levi inside the house. The raven hadn't looked but could still see images of Eren kissing his girlfriend running in his head and he tried really hard to ward them off in order to concentrate on what he was going to do and say. He had very little time and he also knew it wasn't going to be easy considering how much Eren despised him at the moment. He would still try anyway, that was what he was here for after all.

They made their way upstairs and entered a room at the far end of the corridor, the furthest away from anyone inside the house. Levi had purposely chosen Jean's room to have his talk with Eren because he knew no one would come here. It was a well-known rule that his bedroom was off limits during parties, which would ensure them some alone time. Levi closed the door behind them as soon as they were both inside and took a moment to finally let his eyes wander on Eren's form.

He was the same as he remembered from this timeline, long and slick brown hair tied up in a bun with only small locks of hair on his forehead. His shoulders and arms seemed a bit thicker, signs that he had been hitting the gym, and the contrast with the Eren he had been cuddling up with not so long ago hit him really hard.

This wasn't the man he had confessed his feelings to. The man standing right in front of him, towering him from his tall figure and looking down at him, was the one he had broken two years ago and who had moved on without him. He was still the man he loved though, no matter how coldly he was looking at him right now. Levi would not let himself be destabilized by a little glare, he was used to them, even if in normal circumstances they didn't come from the brunet.

"So, what do you want?" Eren asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest like he had done earlier.

Levi took a couple of deep breaths, closing his eyes while trying to calm his heartbeat. He then looked up right in the eyes of the man he loved, focusing on those feelings inside of him and not on the ones reflecting on his tanned face.

"I've had a lot of time to think lately, and I realized something really important that I need to tell you." Levi was caught off guard by Eren snorting at his statement.

"Really? _You_ have something important to tell _me_?" Eren rolled his eyes before looking away in boredom.

"Yes, I do. Why do you act like it's something that surprising?" A crease appeared between Levi's eyebrows, the raven puzzled by Eren's reaction.

"Seriously?" In front of Levi's questioning face, Eren added: "Levi, you never told me _anything_. Important or not."

"That's not true, I told you how I felt." Levi couldn't help but be defensive. He knew where Eren's resentment was coming from but it hadn't been all that bad, right?

"Yeah, in the beginning. The day you confessed, you told me so many things, but after that? Nothing." The brunet let out a deep sigh, looking annoyed. "Why are we even talking about this? It's not important anymore."

Eren went to open the door and Levi panicked. He instantly took the brunet's hand that was on the handle and used it to turn Eren around, pushing him against the door. Eren tried to get out of his grip, but Levi held on still and caged him with his body, looking straight into his eyes, with the most serious face he had ever had on.

"It is important to me." Eren had stopped fighting against him and once Levi knew he had all his attention, he finally told him. "I am still in love with you."

Levi released Eren's hand as he saw the dumfounded look on his face, his green eyes searching his grey ones and looking all over his features. His body lost its tension and Levi's did as well, though it didn't seem like his heart had any intention to calm down any time soon. The brunet opened his mouth once, twice, without saying anything each time, and Levi couldn't help but stare at the movements of his lips, wanting to press his own against them.

"You…" Eren started but his voice was hoarse. "You never told me that."

Levi furrowed his brows before realization downed on him. He had never told Eren he loved him. It had never gone further than "I like you" whispered in his ear after the nights they would spend pressed against each other, with nothing between them preventing to feel their body heat. Eren had told him several time, but he hadn't. Not even once.

"I should have."

His voice was only a whisper, as if he was afraid somebody else could hear him. The atmosphere had changed around them and Levi couldn't hold back any longer as he cupped Eren's face with one hand, feeling his warmth under his fingertips, almost afraid of breathing.

"I should have told you that day. I should have asked you to stay."

He let his hand move down to his jaw and then his neck, feeling Eren shiver under his touch as the brunet closed his eyes and his breathing turned heavy. Levi still couldn't breathe.

"I was an idiot for letting you go and there isn't a day I don't spend regretting it."

The raven brought his left hand to his other cheek and carefully traced Eren's lips with his thumb, his hungry eyes never leaving them as he could feel himself inching closer, flushing their bodies together and standing taller on his toes. It was something Eren used to make fun of before and the memory made him smile.

"Levi, don't-"

"I love you, Eren."

If Levi had been tall enough, he would have whispered it in his ear, but he settled for saying it while looking deep into those vivid green eyes he loved so much. Doing so allowed him to see them widening, a soft gleam appearing in them in contrast to the cold glare he had previously on. As their faces were close, Levi felt on his forehead the way Eren's breath stopped for a moment before coming out in short and rapid gasps. He could feel the brunet's skin heat up under his fingers and, the moment Eren started biting his bottom lip, which Levi was once again looking at, he was done for.

Using the hand wrapped around Eren's neck, Levi brought him down to smash their lips together, relishing in the feeling of being able to kiss Eren again. He was conflicted between memories of not having kissed Eren for years and memories of the said man's lips on his just a few hours ago. He didn't dwell on it for much longer however as he felt the brunet eagerly kiss him back and thread his fingers in his black hair like he had always loved to do.

Levi pushed Eren back even further against the door, desperately and hungrily kissing the man like it was the only way for him to get oxygen. He didn't know what to do with his hands as he wanted to touch Eren everywhere: his hair, his face, his chest, his stomach, his hips. The brunet's hands responded the same as they started running through his body, going under his shirt and making Levi shiver at the contact of Eren's bare hands on his skin.

The way Eren was kissing him was starting to make him feel lightheaded. Levi felt like he was soaring, his heart slowly pulling itself back together, the broken pieces fitting as one like a puzzle and making his chest buzz with happiness. Levi loved this man so much and wanted to feel him close to him every minute of every day. Eren was his sun, his oxygen, his means to survive. He couldn't imagine a life without him.

Everything seemed almost too good to be true, too easy, but as a lot of things in life, it rarely was. Levi was given a good dose of the harsh reality the moment he felt himself being violently separated from Eren as hands pushed him away, his body suddenly turning cold. His heart which had been mended earlier broke once more, in even tinier pieces this time, when he looked up and saw the look of utter confusion and anger on Eren's face.

"What the-" The brunet's voice was hoarse and low, until his eyes met Levi's and it seemed to gain back its intensity. "What the fuck was that, Levi?"

Eren hid his face in his hands, cursing under his breath, and Levi swallowed heavily. Everything a moment ago had seemed so perfect, but now it felt worse than it had been before.

"I'm dating Mikasa for fuck's sake, what were you thinking? Why did you even come here, suddenly saying shit like that!? Why now!?"

Levi couldn't say anything because he knew Eren wouldn't want to hear it anyway, not when he was angry like this. The brunet took one look at his distressed face before he turned around and slammed his fists on the door while yelling "Fuck!". It made Levi flinch, both in surprise and guilt. He didn't want to make Eren feel this way, didn't want to see him this upset. All he wanted was to hold him and appease him, but he knew it would only make things worse.

"I knew I would regret it if I didn't tell you. I needed you to know. Eren I-" He cut himself short when the brunet looked back at him, his fists still on the door and his back facing him. Levi could feel anger and frustration emanating from Eren's every pore, but he didn't let it deter him. "I want to be with you again. I meant what I said."

"Are you being fucking serious right now? What makes you think I would want to go back with you after how things ended between us?" Eren turned around, his fists now clenched at his sides so tightly Levi could see the veins appearing on his forearms.

"I've changed. I've learned from my mistakes. And I want you to give me a second chance. To give _us_ a second chance." Eren was looking at him with narrowed eyes, biting his bottom lip once again and Levi tried not to let it distract him. "Also, you didn't seem indifferent to me minutes ago, when your hands were squeezing my ass."

Maybe Levi shouldn't have said that. The moment the words left his mouth Eren's eyes widened, his face going different shades of color from the pink of embarrassment to the red of anger. He clenched his fists more strongly than before and gritted his teeth hard enough for it to look painful. He was looking at Levi with all the rage and fire the raven knew Eren had in him, and he was already starting to regret what he had just said.

"You think I still have feelings for you? Well I'm gonna break it to you, I don't! I'm with Mikasa and she makes me happy! So, stay the fuck out of it!"

Something completely different broke inside of Levi and he furrowed his brow as well, fire igniting somewhere deep inside of him and now coursing through his veins.

"Oh, does she really?" Levi laughed bitterly. "Because that's not what I heard from Jean. _And_ Armin."

"What the fuck did they say?" Eren stepped closer to him, his figure menacing and even angrier than a second before, if possible. Whatever fire was burning inside of Levi, it clearly was nothing compared to the one inside of Eren. He shouldn't have brought their friends into this.

"Do you love her?" Levi asked instead, diverting Eren's attention away from his previous statement.

Eren's eyes were small slits and Levi could feel his ragged breathing on his skin now that they were close to each other once more. Levi really wanted to be with Eren because he was the love of his life and he couldn't imagine his life without him, but loving him this deeply also meant he wanted him to be happy. If Eren truly was content with Mikasa and loved her, he would – albeit reluctantly – let it go. However, if there was the tiniest chance that Levi could be the one making Eren happy, he would take it.

"Why do you even care?" Eren bit back angrily, curiously sounding offended at the question.

"Me caring is the whole point of this." Levi snorted. "Now answer the question, Eren. Do you love her?"

Silence fell over them once more, the two men looking intensely at each other. Levi tried not to have too many expectations but the more hesitation Eren showed at answering the question, the more he felt hope blooming inside his chest.

"She makes me happy." Eren simply answered, looking back at Levi with defiance, and the raven felt both despair and relief at his answer.

"That is not what I asked you, Eren. Do you-"

Levi didn't get to finish his question as they both heard a ringing sound. For a second the raven panicked, thinking someone was standing behind the door and had heard their conversation, but he relaxed when he saw Eren take his phone out of his back pocket and look at it, a frown still present on his face. People overhearing them yelling at each other hadn't even crossed Levi's mind, but he reassured himself when he heard the loud music still playing downstairs.

"Mikasa is wondering where I am. I have to go."

Levi snapped out of his thoughts and realized Eren was trying to open the door to leave the room and thus, leave him. He instinctually grabbed his hand like before, but this time he just squeezed it to catch his attention and prevent him from going further. He suddenly remembered what had driven him to come here in the first place, and the desperation he had felt on his way here overtook his senses once more.

"Please, Eren. I love you." Eren wasn't even looking at him, but at least he wasn't trying to leave anymore, which was as good a sign as any. "If there's still a part of you that loves me, _please_, just think about it. That's all I'm asking right now."

Eren didn't acknowledge his words as he exited the room and left Levi alone in it, his heart once again broken in a million pieces.

Levi couldn't stay any longer after that, knowing very well what would happen next and not wanting to witness it as he already felt broken enough. Therefore, he went back to his car and drove back – this time more carefully and slowly – to his apartment, trying not to think too much about what had just happened. At least not until he was in the safety of his home and curled up in his living room with his misery.

The couch creaked under his weight as he let himself fell on it heavily, an arm over his eyes to shield himself from the world. He could still feel Eren's hands on him, the warmth of his skin against his body, the softness of his lips on his and the bitter taste of alcohol on his tongue. Then he remembered the look of distress and bewilderment on the brunet's face once he realized what he and Levi had done, the anger as he tried to put all the blame on him as if he hadn't kissed him back and touched him the way he used to.

Eren had been confused but Levi was even more.

What did it mean in the end? Did Eren still have feelings for him? Feelings that he had buried deep inside his heart but that Levi managed to revive when he had kissed him? Or had it just been a reaction while faced with a familiar situation considering they had done this hundreds of times when they had been together?

Levi let out a big sigh and tried to stop finding an answer when he knew he wouldn't have one. Of course Eren would be confused if his ex-boyfriend came by, told him he loved him and kissed him while he was already dating someone else. Besides, even if the brunet hadn't been able to truly answer his question concerning his feelings for Mikasa, Levi knew Eren was going to agree to marry her so it surely meant they were strong enough for him to want to spend the rest of his life with her.

A groan left his mouth next as he buried his face deep between the cushions of his couch, trying not to think about what was probably happening right now at the party he had left. He knew he would get a report from Jean about it anyway once it was done. He was tempted for a second to turn off his phone but decided against it. He would keep wondering about it until he knew it had really happened anyway, so it was better to get the news while it still hurt rather than when his wounds would have started to heal.

Leastways he had tried, he told himself. He had been able to convey his feelings to Eren and to kiss him one more time at the very least. And if in the end it didn't turn out in his favor, if Eren chose to stay with Mikasa and really didn't feel anything for Levi anymore, he would still have good memories with him. Changing the past had at least allowed him to know what it would feel like to date Eren, to be with him, to love and be loved by him. It would never be enough since he wanted a lifetime of this with Eren, but at least he had had some time with him. His only regret now was that they were only memories that he hadn't experienced himself.

His phone started ringing a few minutes after and Levi's first reaction was to reject the call, his heart not yet ready to hear the news. However, he knew Jean would call him back over and over until he picked up, and he had already decided to go through with it. He therefore reluctantly answered when his friend called him back, preparing himself for what was about to be said.

"Levi, dude! Why did you leave so early? You missed something insane!" Jean almost yelled in the phone as soon as the raven picked up.

Levi was first caught off guard since the conversation started differently from the one he remembered, but then he reminded himself he had already changed things by showing up at the party. He tried to calm his nerves enough to sound as composed as possible when he replied.

"Yeah, yeah… I know." He did in a way, so it was better to get the conversation short so he could go back to mop in his own misery.

"Somebody told you already? I thought I'd be the first!" Jean said with a tiny hint of disappointment in his voice. "But you should have seen the look on Mikasa's face, it was pretty awful! She went upstairs with Historia and Sasha and hasn't come down ever since. I hope she's okay."

Levi's heart stopped for a second as he tried to make sense of what Jean had just said. He hoped Mikasa was okay? He tried not to let hope overtook him too fast as he sat more comfortably on the couch, his grip on the phone tightening. Could it be…?

"And Eren, man! He left so quickly after that, I have no idea where he is now! He's not even picking up his damn phone! Armin went to look for him, but he's not at their apartment, and-"

"Wait, wait, slow down." Levi was still trying to process all the new information. "What do you mean by that? What happened to Eren?"

"Dude, I thought you knew already! After he rejected Mikasa's proposal, he just ran off. Nobody saw that coming!"

Rejected…? Did Eren say no this time? Had Levi's actions contributed to change the outcome of the proposal he had been dreading? His head started to buzz from confusion and agitation. He had managed to make a difference. Eren wasn't out of his reach yet. He still had a chance.

"Eren said no?" Levi asked, biting the inside of his cheek when he realized how hopeful he had sounded.

"That's insane, right? 'I'm sorry, I can't' were his exact words." Levi closed his eyes as he let his tense shoulders relax. Jean, unaware of his friend's relief, continued talking. "How could he turn Mikasa down like that? She's heartbroken now!"

"Jean. Take care of her and I'm going to go look for Eren, okay?"

It was true Levi didn't hold Mikasa close to his heart but he wasn't that insensitive either. He knew how it felt to lose somebody so dear to you and, even if it was potentially his fault, he still pitied her situation in a way.

As soon as Jean agreed with him and hung up, Levi tried to call Eren's phone, but to no avail. He was being directed instantly to his voice mail without it ringing every time, so it was safe to assume Eren had turned it off – or maybe he had blocked his number. Instead, Levi called Armin to know where he was in his research and to tell him to stay at their apartment in case Eren would come back while he would go around places to look for him.

After more than an hour of searching however, Levi still had no clue where Eren was and he was still reaching his voice mail every time he tried to call him. He was starting to get worried, especially since Armin had told him Eren had drunk a bit more after his talk with Levi, and the raven couldn't help but imagine him passed out in a dark alley or someone hurting him while he was too buzzed to defend himself. He knew he was overreacting, but that was just proof of how much he cared about him and how anxious he was about the situation.

At some point, he realized his phone didn't have enough battery and decided to go back to his apartment to get his charger to plug it in his car. He needed his phone to be on in case Eren would contact him, or Armin if the brunet would suddenly decide to go home. His head was bent down to look at his screen as he was nearing his apartment door until he realized someone was sitting on the floor in the corridor. He looked up, wondering if one of his neighbors had forgotten their keys, when he recognized the person sitting next to his door. His chest overflowed with relief as he stopped in front of the man he had been searching like crazy for hours, who was currently looking down at his feet, his hair let down on his shoulders.

"I've been looking everywhere for you." Levi softly said, trying to gauge the brunet's mood.

"Well, I was here." Eren still wasn't looking at him, instead his gaze was directed at his fingers while he played with them.

"Did you turn off your phone? I tried calling you, but-"

"Are you going to let me in?" Eren cut him off, finally glancing at him, his face unreadable.

Levi hated not being able to tell what Eren was feeling, it made him feel powerless and restless. He warded off those feelings in favor of opening his door to let the man come inside, knowing they'd be better off talking inside his apartment instead of in front of it. After heaving a deep sigh, Levi followed the brunet inside, putting his shoes as well as Eren's away and taking his time removing and hanging his jacket just to have enough time organizing his thoughts. When he finally joined Eren in the living room, he found him looking around with an annoyed expression.

"I've always hated this place." The brunet was the first to break the silence and Levi looked at him, confused. "You found and rented it without consulting me first, saying it was closer to your workplace and a 'great deal'."

Levi could remember that moment now that Eren was mentioning it. In his old memories, there had been no problem since he had been single, but in his new ones, he had only told Eren about the apartment once he had signed the deal with his real estate agent. He remembered how mad Eren had been then and the fight that had issued. They had broken up soon afterwards.

"I was hoping you'd ask me to move in with you back then."

Levi's heart seized at the revelation and the wistful tone Eren had used. He could only see his back from where he was standing and was itching to turn him around to look at his face.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter now." Eren sighed before finally facing him, his face neutral like before. "I need to take a shower, I spilled alcohol on me earlier. Where's your bathroom?"

Levi looked at him, baffled, before moving his gaze to his shirt where he could indeed see a stain on it. He realized Eren hadn't inquired if he could take a shower but had rather only asked for directions and Levi internally snorted at his boldness.

"Second door to the right. Towels are on the bottom shelf on the left. Leave your clothes in the basket, I'll clean them once you're-" Before he could finish his sentence, Eren was already walking to the bathroom and closing the door behind him, leaving Levi standing alone in his living room. "-done…"

He heaved a big sigh while running his hands over his face, both confused and nervous. Why had Eren chosen to come to his apartment instead of going back to his own? After what had happened between them a few hours ago, he would have assumed being near him was the last thing Eren wanted, but here he was. It made him a little happy though, especially since it meant they would have time to talk some more.

Walking inside his kitchen, Levi started boiling water to make some tea while he tried to appease his nerves. He needed to occupy himself while Eren was in the bathroom, the sound of the shower running distracting him and making him lose his mind. So many questions were popping inside his head, so keeping himself busy was the only way he had found to not concentrate on them, especially since he had no answer. He started pacing while the water was boiling, changing the position of the tea bags a dozen times to at least have something to do, opening the sugar container for the fifth time to make sure he had enough cubes left because he knew Eren put at least two in his tea.

Levi was a nervous mess and it showed.

While the tea was brewing, he went to his bedroom and tried to find clothes which would fit Eren. He knew he had some loose pants and old shirts belonging to Erwin somewhere, from the times they would drink at his place and he would stay the night because he was too buzzed to go home. His blond friend was a bit taller than Eren and also broader, so they would definitely do the job while his clothes would be in the washing machine.

Once he found what he was looking for, Levi went to the bathroom door and lightly knocked on it.

"I'm putting clothes in front of the door for you."

There was no reply, but Levi assumed he had heard him anyway and put them on the floor before going back to the kitchen to take care of the tea, which should be ready by now. He heard the sound of a door opening and focused on his mission to bring the mugs to the living room for them to drink and waited for Eren to join him. When he did, the brunet was wearing the clothes Levi had picked out for him and had a towel around his neck, keeping his hair from wetting his shirt. He smelled like fresh soap and Levi mentally slapped himself in order not to think about how it made his heart beat faster.

"You made tea." It was a statement, not a question, and the raven sat on the couch before inviting Eren to do the same. "Of course, you did…"

"I just thought you'd like something warm to drink." Levi shrugged, already taking a few tentative sips from his tea. It was still too hot to drink though.

Eren silently sat on the couch too, as far from Levi as he could, and continued drying his hair with the towel while staring at his mug and then the sugar packet. He took two cubes out and put them in his tea without even tasting it, and Levi couldn't help but smile lightly at the action. It was comforting that some of the things he used to know about Eren were still true.

The brunet stirred his tea with the spoon Levi had put on the table for him and then slowly blew on it. Levi couldn't help but stare as Eren brought the cup to his lips and took a small sip, making a bit of a noise as he swallowed air with it to cool it down further. The brunet then looked down at the liquid with a frown and Levi wondered if he had done something wrong. Eren turned his head, finally looking at him, and it was clear something was bothering him.

"It's caramel tea." He simply said, and Levi was also confused now.

"Yeah?"

"You hate caramel tea."

Levi's eyes softened at the statement, confusion completely gone. Eren still remembered things about him and it had this strange power to warm his chest immediately. The raven took a long sip of his own tea – chamomile, perfect before going to bed – before noticing Eren was still waiting for him to explain himself. He shrugged while putting his mug down. It wasn't a secret anyway.

"I bought it for you, for the nights you'd spend here." Eren looked even more puzzled so Levi felt the need to elaborate. "Back when I got the apartment. The tea is still good though, I checked."

They went back to sip at their drinks, in silence. It was soothing to be able to be in Eren's presence without them having a fight or without Eren showing animosity towards him. They were just sitting, enjoying their warm tea, and Levi could finally relax. There were still a lot of unresolved matters between them, a lot of unspoken things, but for at least ten minutes, it didn't matter. They were in a bubble of warmth and contentment, and it was enough.

At least it would have been if Eren hadn't felt the need to burst it, but Levi had been expecting it anyway. He knew they weren't done, knew Eren had come for a reason, and also knew the dam preventing Eren's anger and frustration to come out had to break at some point. Levi just wished it could have lasted a little longer.

"Mikasa proposed to me tonight."

"Yeah, I know. Jean told me." Levi replied calmly, trying not to stir Eren in any way.

"Of course, he's the one who told you." Eren laughed bitterly. He then buried his face in his hands, his elbow resting on his knees, while mumbling something Levi didn't understand.

"What?"

"It's all your fault." Eren said louder before giving Levi a glare that took him aback. "If you hadn't said anything right before that, I wouldn't have hesitated! I would have…!"

Eren stopped mid-sentence, running his hands in his hair while growling in frustration. Levi was looking at him with a furrowed brow, his mind going into overdrive. Was Eren trying to put all the blame on him? How was it only his fault? They had been two kissing each other at that moment. It hadn't been one-sided.

A dry laugh escaped the raven, catching the attention of the frustrated man sitting next to him.

"You would have what? Said yes?" Levi knew he would. "How is it _all_ my fault if me being honest with you, if me telling you that I have feelings for you messes with your head hard enough for you to turn down your own girlfriend? You're the one who said no, not me."

Maybe Levi should take the time to think before talking, especially considering how he was walking on a thin line with Eren at the moment, but he just couldn't help himself. Eren was lying to himself if he thought Levi was the only one responsible for the 'mess' that had happened at the party tonight, and it wasn't fair to the raven. It wasn't fair to Mikasa either. Eren needed to figure out his own feelings but he was off to a bad start if he wasn't even questioning himself.

Eren didn't seem ready nor inclined to do it however as he abruptly stood up, his fists clenched with rage.

"I was happy with her, and you ruined that!"

_Was_? Why was Eren using the past tense to say that? Did it mean they had broken up since Eren had rejected her proposal? Levi didn't let himself think about it any further and calmly crossed both his legs and arms while looking back at Eren, a calm expression on his face, the exact opposite of how he was feeling inside. He knew Eren wouldn't calm down no matter what he would say anyway, and also that he was too stubborn to acknowledge any other opinion than his own right now. It didn't mean Levi would let him have the upper hand however, not when Eren was in denial about what had happened between them in Jean's bedroom. He wouldn't let him pass it as insignificant. It had meant something, and Levi was going to find out what that something was.

"Really? I don't think I would have been able to destabilize you enough for you to say no if you were." Eren was about to bark something else but Levi beat him to it. "Why did you come here, Eren?" It seemed to hit right on the sore spot Levi had been looking for and rendered the brunet mute for a second. "If you resent me so much like you said, why come see me?"

"Because _thanks_ to you, I can't even face half of my friends now."

"You think I'm enjoying this, do you?" Levi asked with a heavy heart. How much of a jerk Eren thought he was? "Well, I'm not. I don't like seeing you upset. I want you to be happy, Eren, and if there's a slight chance I can be the one making you happy, then I'll take it."

Eren studied him with narrowed eyes, his fists loosening a little but his features still displaying resentment. Then he let out a low chuckle.

"Confident, aren't we?" The brunet crossed his arms in front of his chest and held his head high, as if he was challenging Levi. The dark-haired man, however, wasn't in a mood to play games.

"Not really. I went to talk to you as a last-resort impulse. I wasn't expecting anything, I was only desperate but-" Levi pointed at Eren with his right index, as if he was accusing him. "-you kissed me _back_. You gave me hope when I had none. You can't put all the blame on me, no matter how much you want to believe this is all my fault."

Eren groaned and avoided Levi's gaze. The raven walked closer to him, his hand still raised in the air, until his finger poked at Eren's chest to gain his attention back.

"I'm not done fighting for you, Eren. This is the battle I should have fought two years ago, and I'm going to fight until the end this time."

Eren finally looked back at him, but this time his expression was weary, somber. His rage seemed to have died down, leaving him exhausted after draining all of his energy.

"Why?"

"Because you're worth it."

They didn't talk much afterwards, both tired and lost in their thoughts. Levi offered Eren to stay the night since it was already late and his clothes weren't even washed yet, and the brunet agreed without much convincing which relieved Levi. It meant they could still talk in the morning, after the both of them would have had a good night's rest and the tension would have diminished.

Eren was about to take the couch but Levi immediately pushed him towards the bedroom, saying he could change the sheets if he gave him a few minutes, but the brunet declined before entering the room and getting ready for bed. Levi only took a few blankets and a pillow out of his closet before leaving Eren alone and making the couch comfortable for the night.

As he laid down in his makeshift bed, the low rumble of the washing machine audible in the background, Levi realized he couldn't sleep. His mind was full of everything that had happened that day. Between the two different timelines he had experienced, his travel through time, and all his new interactions with Eren, his brain was unable to shut down in order for him to fall asleep. He both couldn't wait and was dreading the next day, incapable of making any predictions on how it would go.

Night was the mother of counsel, and Levi hoped it would benefit them both.


	3. Chapter 3: Doubts

Levi didn't sleep that night.

No matter how many times he tossed and turned on the couch, trying to find a good position to sleep, he never closed his eyes for more than five minutes. Too many thoughts were running through his mind and he couldn't seem to find a way to tone them down in order to fall asleep. As minutes turned into hours, he came to terms with the fact he might not rest that night and thus tried to find ways to kill time until the morning.

The first occupation he found was washing Eren's clothes. He moved them from the washing machine to the tumble dryer and then folded them neatly once they were dry. He also went as far as ironing them, just to occupy himself further. After this had been taken care of, he cleaned every single room he could access while being careful not to wake Eren up, taking his sweet time rubbing every surface so he wouldn't have to find something else to do when he would be done.

Time passed by but Levi wasn't any closer to falling asleep than he had been hours ago.

When he had been cleaning his kitchen, Levi had realized he didn't have enough food to make breakfast once Eren would be awake, so now he was waiting for the sun to rise and for the stores to open their doors. He spent the rest of the hours before morning light entered through his windows reading on his couch, not without checking the time every five minutes.

The raven was up on his feet and out of his apartment the moment he knew the grocery shop was about to open and waited in front of it for the shop clerk to welcome him in. He already had a few ideas as to what he would cook and was looking forward to having breakfast with Eren. They still had a lot of things to discuss and Levi was counting on that time for them to continue their conversation. Maybe Levi was trying to bribe Eren a little by making all the things he loved, but in truth the raven was just hoping to see his smile again, even if it was only caused by his gluttonous stomach.

The moment Levi entered his apartment however, he could feel something was off. It took him a minute to realize what it was and what was missing: Eren's shoes and jacket. He ran all the way to the bedroom in a frenzy, his heart beating like a hummingbird and his brain overheating, not able to process the information and what it implied. When he entered the room, the bed was done perfectly and everything was in its place except for Erwin's clothes folded on the sheets and a piece of paper on the nightstand. Levi immediately went to read it, feeling his heart sinking.

"_I need some time to think about everything that happened. Don't try to contact me. -Eren_"

Levi shouldn't have gone to the grocery store.

The next days and weeks were like torture for Levi. He was trying to honor Eren's wishes and give him all the time he needed, but he couldn't help constantly checking his phone in the hope of finding a text from the brunet. Levi wanted to call him not even two days after the man had left his apartment, even though he knew it was too soon. He had put him in a difficult position and it was already a good sign Eren was taking some time to think about what Levi had said. However, the thought that the brunet was back together with Mikasa and hadn't informed him couldn't leave his mind. He knew Eren was better than this and that he would have contacted him even if the news was going to hurt Levi, but his brain wasn't being rational at the moment.

Eren needed time, but Levi was afraid it was exactly what he was missing.

A month had rolled by and Levi still hadn't heard anything from Eren. He had been going to work like a zombie or a robot programmed to do the same thing every day. He had noticed that his coworkers had started to avoid him or to only have very minimal contact with him, probably because of his mood swings, but it was the least of his concerns. All he could think about was Eren and when he would get to hear his voice again.

It was a Saturday and Levi had nothing better to do than mop in his apartment, lying on his couch and staring at the ceiling. He hadn't seen Erwin for a while now, his friend either avoiding him or giving him space, although Levi couldn't blame him. He was very bad company at the moment and he didn't want to see Armin either because he knew he would bombard the poor man with questions about Eren. And recently wherever Erwin went, Armin went with him. They were almost inseparable which only added to Levi's execrable mood of not being able to do the same with the man he loved.

"What are you doing?" a voice which sounded oddly familiar asked.

The raven instantly sat up and looked around until he found the person who had talked. Hanji was standing in a corner of the room with their hands on their hips, trying to look menacing, their suit an even bigger mess than what he remembered. His body relaxed once he knew who he was dealing with and he laid down on the couch once again, ignoring their question. It was weird how Levi had only seen the fairy once in his life but was already used to their presence.

"You can't stay here all day! You need to do something or else you're going to ruin my work!" Hanji whined, coming to stand in front of the defeated man.

"Your work?" Levi snorted. "I thought you were only lending me your powers or whatever so I could do my thing."

"It's true, but-"

"Well, I did my thing," Levi cut them off before sitting up.

"Why do you sound like you've given up? You need to keep fighting!" They took a seat beside him, their eyebrows knitted together in worry.

"Sorry, you bet on the wrong horse. You probably should have given a second chance to another dude."

"Don't say that!" Hanji almost shouted in exasperation. "I know you can do it! I've studied your past, present, and-"

"Future, I know," Levi interrupted them for the second time, not really in the mood for a long conversation. He was just tired. "Well, maybe you got it wrong, because it ain't happening."

"What got your panties in a twist?" Hanji suddenly said with their arms crossed in front of their chest and a serious expression on their face.

"I don't have my-" Levi sighed in frustration. "Whatever."

"Just tell me what's wrong, Levi. That's what I'm here for."

Levi studied their face for a few minutes, seeing genuine concern in their eyes. He knew they only meant well. It was all thanks to them that Levi had had another chance with Eren, had been able to know what it felt to be with him, but it also made him experience a pain he hadn't known it was possible to feel when he realized he had lost him, lost what they had had together. It broke him in a completely different manner.

He had had a lot of time to think during this month and there was a thought he couldn't get out of his mind.

"Am I selfish?" Levi suddenly blurted out, not even meeting the fairy's eyes.

"Why are you asking that?" Their voice was calm and prudent, as if they were afraid of scaring him away.

"Everything I did since you showed up was to get Eren back. For us to be together. For me to have a chance of happiness with him. And I know I'll be happy with him. But…" Levi heaved a long sigh before facing them. "What if this isn't Eren's happiness? What if all I'm doing is hurting him and preventing him from being happy? What if he'll be happier without me? Doesn't that make me selfish for pursuing him then?"

Hanji looked at Levi with sympathy before placing a hand on his shoulder which he immediately pushed away. He didn't need their pity. All he needed right now was for them to be honest, to tell him if what he was doing was wrong or right, because he didn't know anymore. Maybe he had just ruined Eren's chances at happiness with Mikasa all because of his selfish desire to be with him. Maybe he should stop before he made some more damages.

"You didn't let me finish my sentence earlier, so let me say it again." Levi raised an eyebrow in confusion and they responded with a soft smile. "I've studied your past, present and _futures_, Levi."

Levi was now completely puzzled. "Futures? You mean there's more than one?"

"Yes, that's exactly it!" Hanji replied with excitement. "The actions you take determine which path you'll take and which future will be yours. And I studied all of them, to see your possibilities. I don't give the chance to go back to the past to anybody, sugar. I only give it to people with a brighter future waiting for them and who are capable of making it happen. Like I said, I studied you, and I saw that it was worth it. I saw a future for you and Eren, one where the both of you are together and happy. And I want to help you get there."

"Really?" Levi was feeling a bit overwhelmed with the surplus of information he had been given, but it was also filling his chest with hopes he had tried to bury the last few days.

"Fairies don't lie, my dear! And you want to know something else?" They waited for Levi to nod before they continued. "I've studied Eren's past, present and futures too. I've seen what would be the best for him, and so I decided to give _you_ the chance to make it happen."

"Both for me and Eren," Levi repeated, trying to enter the information in his head in order to chase away the bad thoughts he had had recently.

"For the both of you."

"I'm not being selfish. This can work." He could only vaguely hear Hanji agreeing while he tried to clear his mind. "So, the future you saw… It's worth me fighting for it, that's what you're saying?"

Hanji shook their head at that. "It is worth fighting for the future that _you_ want, not the one I saw and could be." They then suddenly stood up, pointing a finger at Levi with a mischievous smile on their face. "And what is it that you want, short stuff?"

"Eren," Levi immediately replied without an ounce of hesitation. "I want to be with Eren."

"Then go get him, tiger! Don't waste your time in here!"

As if something was urging him to move, Levi stood up and almost raced to the entrance of his apartment to put his shoes and jacket on. His heart was beating so fast in his chest that he could hear it buzzing in his ears. He was both giddy with excitement and sick with nervousness. Levi had no idea how Eren would react to him breaking his wishes and going to meet him while he was probably still thinking about the situation, but he would take the risk. Like he had said to Eren that night, the brunet was worth it, and he wasn't done fighting for him. He had just needed a little boost to get his head back in the game.

"Levi, wait!" Hanji stopped him before he had the time to leave the apartment. "There is still something I need to tell you before you go."

"Yeah?" Levi absentmindedly replied while checking if he had his car keys on him for later.

"Once all of this" –they made a vague gesture, but the raven understood what they meant– "is over, you won't remember it."

"What do you mean?" He looked back at them with a frown on his face, not exactly sure what 'it' was referring to.

"You won't remember me, nor the fact you went to the past. And I'll remove your old memories of the past that no longer exists. The only reason I left you those memories is because they're driving you to move forward. But you can understand that I can't let you keep them."

Levi just stood there for a moment, his eyes looking intensely at the brown ones of the fairy. They looked almost sad, apologetic.

Of course, he understood. He had actually wondered if it was safe for him to know such things. Now he finally realized what it entailed though. He was going to forget about Hanji's existence and about the years he had spent wondering why he had turned down Eren. The latter wasn't really a bad thing, having dual memories was really confusing sometimes. However, it meant he wouldn't remember how close he had come to lose Eren forever and therefore how he should cherish the people he loved if he didn't want to lose them.

Would he still remember the lessons he had learned from his mistakes without those memories?

"I do." Levi took one step to get closer to the fairy and slapped their shoulder lightly. "Thanks for everything, Hanji." He then turned his back to them and went to open the door.

"Can you say that again?" Hanji asked with a hysterical voice.

"No."

Levi didn't stay long enough to hear if the fairy still had something to say and was already on his way to his car. He quickly started the engine and sped along the street towards his destination: Eren's apartment.

It only took him fifteen minutes to reach the building and as soon as he was out of his car, he ran inside and went up the stairs. Eren was living on the second floor, so it was faster than waiting for the elevator to come and go up. He didn't really take the time to think about what would come next, what he would say to Eren. For now, all he wanted was to see him. He would improvise when the time came.

Once in front of Eren's apartment door, Levi knocked a few times and then waited, shifting his weight from one foot to the other in impatience. He raised his head the moment he heard the door opening but was disappointed when he saw a mop of blond hair instead of long brown ones.

"Levi! What are you doing here?" Armin asked, a polite smile on his face.

"Armin. Is Eren here?" Levi asked with a little bit of urgency, trying to see behind the blond if Eren was in the apartment.

"Oh! Um…" Armin looked aside, a little embarrassed. "Sorry, no. He's not here."

"I just need to talk to him," Levi almost snarled but he immediately got a grip on himself. There was no need to take his frustration out on Armin, he was only being a good friend.

"I'm telling the truth! He's not here, he-" The blond man took a few breaths before locking eyes again with his visitor. "He took some time off and went back to his parents' place a few days ago. I'm not hiding him from you, I swear."

Levi saw the distress and honesty reflecting in Armin's eyes and soon the raven was overtaken by frustration once more. He whispered a low "Fuck!" before turning and going back from where he came.

"Wait! Levi!"

Levi heard Armin call him in the distance, but he was already at the stairs' door and had no intention to stop for chit-chatting. Eren's parents' house was at least an hour away from here, so he needed to get going as soon as he could. He hadn't planned to drive so far away but once again, it was all worth it. And at least now he would have time to think about what he would tell Eren when he would see him.

He really tried to come up with something to say while driving, but as he found himself parked in front of the Jaeger's house, his mind was completely blank and he wasn't closer to knowing what to tell Eren than he had been before. Levi wasn't really someone who gave long speeches, he generally improvised or just told what came to his mind on the moment. Sometimes it was why it led him to say things he probably shouldn't have said, but that was just the way he worked. He hoped it would be enough for his conversation with Eren.

His whole body was shivering with nervousness as he climbed the few steps on the front porch of the house and his hand was slightly trembling as he pressed the button to ring the bell. He readjusted his clothes in an attempt to distract himself and not think about the way his heart was pumping like crazy. When the door finally opened, the first thing Levi saw was long and silky brown hair. However, as he looked straight ahead, instead of the viridian green he had been expecting, he was met with two golden brown orbs looking back at him with as much surprise as he was feeling.

"Levi, dear! It has been a while since I last saw you!"

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Jaeger," Levi slowly articulated, his throat a little dry.

The raven shouldn't even be that surprised considering he was at her house and it was the middle of the weekend, but the possibility of seeing Eren's mother hadn't even crossed his mind. He had been too busy worrying about Eren to think rationally and he mentally slapped himself. It was another kind of conversation he wasn't yet ready to have.

"Oh, please! How many times did I tell you that you can just call me Carla!" she laughed, and Levi relaxed in front of her cheerfulness. "You are just in time for tea. Please, come on in!"

Levi couldn't refuse her hospitality and ended up following her to the dining room, where she told him to sit down while she brewed their tea. Levi looked around as he waited for her to come back. It had been a few years since he had set foot in the Jaeger's family house, but there was still the same happy and homey aura floating around like he remembered. There were pieces of each resident scattered around the room: medical books in the bookshelf in the left corner from Mr. Jaeger, embroideries of different colors displayed on the furniture and the table from Mrs. Jaeger, and baseball trophies inside a display cabinet to his right from Eren's school years. There were also pictures of them both on the walls and on the wooden shelves which brought a small smile to Levi.

Getting a warm welcome from Eren's mother had been the last thing he had been expecting to be honest. After how everything had ended between him and Eren and now with what was happening, Levi had thought Carla would have been a bit more upset about his presence. However, passed the initial surprise, she had only seemed delighted to see him here. Levi had gotten to know her only after he had started dating Eren, but he could tell that even though she was a very polite person and a great hostess, she also wasn't one to feign sympathy if she felt none. It was definitely from her that Eren had inherited his temper, not from his father.

"I hope you still like spiced tea," Carla said as she entered the room holding a plate with a golden ceramic tea set.

Levi nodded silently and watched her carefully fill the tea cups, the brown liquid steaming from each recipient, before he took one for himself while thanking her. He had no idea how to start a conversation, but he also knew that if he wanted a relationship with Eren, he would have to get her approval sometime along the way, especially since Eren highly valued her opinion. Moreover, Levi really appreciated her and wanted nothing more than to be able to casually talk with her as he had once been able to.

"I can guess why you are here, Levi," Carla eventually broke the silence. "It is not often that Eren takes some time off and chooses to come here when he does. I made him tell me everything."

Levi tried not to let his nervousness show by casually sipping his tea, his eyes directed at a random spot on the table. He wasn't exactly sure what 'everything' was nor exactly what Eren had told her, but she probably had a good idea of the whole situation. He eventually looked up into her eyes and was surprised by the softness he saw in them. She definitely wasn't mad at him, but he was having a hard time understanding why.

"I'm sorry," he eventually blurted out, watching as her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"What are you sorry about, dear?"

"About how things ended between me and Eren. How I hurt him. It was all my fault. And also, about what happened between him and Mikasa, I suppose you know."

Carla carefully placed her teacup back on the saucer and looked right into Levi's eyes, her face serious.

"First of all, I do not think what happened between you and Eren was _all_ your fault." She shushed him when he was about to retort, and then continued. "It is rarely only one person's fault when something goes wrong in a relationship. It can be ninety percent, but not a hundred percent. Eren had his faults, too. So, you should stop blaming yourself."

"But it was my fault," Levi said once she let him talk. "I'm responsible for our breakup."

"Eren told me what happened, but there are always two sides of a coin." The brown-haired woman gently put her hand on top of Levi's, which was gripping his cup. "I know my son. He can be very stubborn and also extreme. And maybe that extremeness was a bit too much for you."

"No, I-" Levi raised his voice before realizing what he had done. He cleared his throat before continuing in a lower voice. "It wasn't like that, it's just- I'm not good at this. Expressing my feelings. And I didn't try back then. But I am ready to try now."

"Levi, dear. You do not have to force yourself only to please your partner. He has to meet you halfway, respect your limits. It cannot work if you are making yourself uncomfortable only to keep him by your side. It does not work that way."

Levi took a moment to replay her words in his mind. He could remember how Eren had been a little insistent sometimes about him pouring his thoughts out, especially towards the end. He had felt cornered back then, forced to do something he hadn't been ready to do, resulting in him shutting himself off even more or saying things he hadn't meant instead. He still couldn't think it had been Eren's fault though. If he had been a little bit more open, Eren wouldn't have had to ask.

"Let me tell you a little story about me and my husband." Carla took back her hand and resumed drinking her tea. "I used to be as stubborn and extreme as Eren and ended up suffocating him. I was very open about my feelings, but he had never learnt how to be with his. We used to fight a lot, or more like I used to yell in frustration while he just stayed silent."

Levi looked at her with interest, wanting to know the rest of the story. It actually sounded a lot like his relationship with Eren. And if his parents were still together, it surely meant they had found a solution to make it work.

"We eventually found a middle ground. We both made compromises, found something that worked for the both of us without giving up too much of ourselves." She softly smiled at him. "You and Eren need to find a middle ground and I am sure everything will be fine for the both of you."

Levi pursed his lips, something still bothering him even though he knew she was right.

"I don't even know where Eren is standing right now, concerning our relationship. That's why I came here."

"Yes, I know. That is why Eren came here too. He was such a mess when he arrived." Carla gave him an apologetic smile. "He is scared, Levi."

"Scared?" Levi asked with a lump in his throat.

"He already knows what he wants, what he feels, but he is afraid of accepting it. He is afraid that–"

"That I'll break his heart again," Levi finished for her, a long sigh escaping his lips.

To be honest, Levi was scared too. He was afraid of having a second chance with Eren and ruining it the same way he had before. He was afraid of giving Eren every little piece of his heart but losing himself in the process. Carla was right about a lot of things. He could make all the efforts in the world to be like Eren wanted him to be, but what if he lost himself in the process? If Eren wasn't ready to accept him as he was, then what was the point of it all?

However, he was also afraid of losing Eren completely. And that fear made him want to change, to be a better version of himself but still himself overall. He was ready to try harder, but as she had said, Eren had to meet him halfway. Levi hoped it would be possible for them.

"Not just that, honey," Carla interrupted his thoughts. "He is afraid to break your heart too."

Levi stayed frozen for a moment while he tried to process the information. Carla waited patiently for him to talk, putting away the tea set on the plate for later now that they had finished their tea.

"He doesn't think we're good for each other," the raven finally said, almost in a whisper. His heart was heavy with the revelation.

"That is what he is trying to convince himself, but Levi, dear-" This time Carla took both of Levi's hands in hers. "I know him inside out. I can read him like an open book, even when he tries to hide his feelings behind a mask. I saw him with Mikasa, and I saw him with you. And let me tell you this." She rubbed his knuckles gently, but Levi couldn't relax no matter what. "Eren might have had affection for Mikasa, but he was not in love with her. I could clearly see it. But when he was with you? He was _alive_. He was beaming. Even when you boys fought – and I saw you two have a fight once – I could see how much he cared about you. And I saw it again recently when he was talking about you."

Her next words made Levi's heart stop and he had to blink a few times before being able to see her features clearly again.

"Eren is afraid because he is in love with you."

His heart was beating like a hummingbird now, his pulse resonating in his ears. He could feel all the tension he had accumulated the past month disappearing in the one exhale he took and hope blooming in his chest as he inhaled right after. Those words had been said with such honesty and genuine concern that it almost brought tears to his eyes. Carla looked worried about her son, but she also seemed to be concerned about him and it warmed Levi's heart way more than he would have ever thought.

"I can tell you are too, so go talk to him now!" She released his hands and gave him a little push. "He's outside near the pond, like he always does when he needs to clear his head."

Levi thanked her and almost ran outside of the house, the surge of emotions he was feeling giving him a rush of adrenaline and pushing him to join Eren as fast as possible. All the doubts he had had earlier while talking with Hanji were long gone, replaced by a boost of confidence he hadn't felt since the day he had confessed to Eren. In this case he had no idea what the outcome would be, but it didn't matter.

Eren still had feelings for him, if his mother's intuition was on point, and just this knowledge was enough for him. Levi would do his best to dismiss and destroy any fears Eren had and give him the reassurance he needed. Levi was scared too, but it was only because he wanted their relationship to work, and that fear was the one thing driving him forward at the moment. Being afraid wasn't a bad thing. It only showed how much they cared and how much they wanted to make things right between them without blowing everything up a second time.


	4. Chapter 4: Second Chance

As Levi walked down the path leading to the pond near the Jaeger's house, he felt like he was inside a dream. He had never gone there before, in his old memories. The first time Eren had shown him his secret location had been when they had been dating. Levi had gone a few times to Eren's house when they had been just friends, but they had never walked outside the house. However, they went for a week vacation here as a couple, and that time Eren took him to the pond. He could remember it clearly, but still it felt like seeing a scenery you had only seen in a picture before, or while watching a movie. It felt both foreign and familiar.

Every step Levi was taking was bringing him closer to where Eren was and, after a few minutes of walking, he was finally able to see him. He was sitting on a small pier, his legs dandling just above the water, his brown hair half tied in a ponytail. The wind was blowing slowly, making strands of his hair move and creating small waves on the surface of the water, the sound of leaves rustling next to Levi. The brunet was staring straight ahead, his back to Levi, seeming deep in thoughts.

The dark-haired man didn't know if he could call him and disturb his serenity, so instead Levi silently approached Eren on the pier and stood behind him without saying anything. It was difficult to tell if Eren had heard Levi approach or if he knew the man was there with him since he had shown no reaction.

They just kept watching the horizon and the nature around them until Eren took a rock he had put beside him and started skimming stones. The flat rock bounced three times before falling into the water, Levi's eyes following its every movement before it disappeared in the depths of the water.

"Are you going to stand there and watch me like a creep without saying anything?"

Eren eventually broke the silence and Levi snorted at the accusation. It hadn't sounded like a reproach, but more like a clumsy way to let the raven know he was aware of his presence and that Levi had his permission to talk.

"Hello to you too."

Eren didn't answer and just continued throwing rocks in the pond, sometimes managing to successfully make them bounce on the surface, sometimes failing completely. At those times he would groan just a little, the corners of Levi's lips moving up just slightly. The brunet had always been very competitive and had always hated to lose.

After Eren had thrown the last stone he had piled up next to him, he stood up and stretched his body, still facing away from Levi and never glancing in his direction. Levi still had no clear idea of what he wanted to say to the man, and not being able to see his face nor his current mood didn't make things easier for him. He was still racking his brain when Eren started speaking again.

"Remember when I first brought you here?" His voice was calm, but Levi could detect a small hint of wistfulness in it.

"Yeah."

"It was the beginning of fall, but you still threw me in the water."

Levi softly laughed at the memory, remembering the look of utter betrayal on Eren's face when he had done that. It almost felt like he had been there to live it.

"And you threw water at me to get revenge."

"I thought you would be pissed, but instead you threw water back at me and we quarreled like children in the middle of summer. My mom was the one pissed when we got back, all drenched and dripping water all over the clean floor."

The reason why Eren was bringing it back right now was escaping Levi, but he didn't mind the small walk on memory lane. On the contrary, he embraced it. It was a time Eren and him used to be happy together.

"That time, you laughed at me and smiled while we bickered like fools. It's not something that happens a lot, and in that moment, I thought…"

Eren stopped for a minute, raising his head higher, as if he was enjoying the soft breeze. Levi looked at his back and his hair flowing on his nape, wanted nothing more than to put his hands between his soft locks, but he warded off the thought in order to concentrate on what Eren was about to say.

"Damn, I really love that guy."

All the air was knocked out of Levi the moment he heard that and his heart started beating like he had just ran a marathon. He was feeling a weird tingling in his stomach and his hands ached to hold the man in front of him. Levi knew it wasn't a confession, that it was only what Eren used to think back then, but he couldn't help but feel elated about it.

"Maybe after I realized that I became a little bit too… greedy."

"Huh?" Levi didn't trust himself to make a coherent sentence in that moment, but Eren seemed to have understood his confusion.

"I wanted to tell you how I felt all the time, I was on cloud nine, but I also wanted to hear you say it. To be honest, I never imagined you would confess to me the day we started dating. I had been pining over you for years, had elaborated a plan in my head to confess to you, but you threw all of that away and confessed first. But after that you stopped sharing your feelings. I was always the first saying 'I like you' and you would only say it back. And so, I went from being greedy to being worried and insecure."

Levi could only stay silent as he listened to Eren pouring out all the feelings and thoughts he had been keeping to himself. He was happy that Eren had come to such a good understanding of what he had felt, and also that he had decided to share it with him, but he was also getting worried. The reason Eren was telling him all of this could either be the worst or the best thing that would happen to him today, and he was having a hard time understanding which one it was.

"Not knowing what you were thinking, always worrying about your feelings or if you felt the same as I did, it just… started to eat at me. Until I couldn't take it anymore."

Levi's hands were shaking, so he balled them into fists in an attempt to stop it. Eren finally turned to look at the raven, his face looking tired and resigned, and Levi had to make a tremendous effort not to let his worry transpire on his face. He wasn't liking the turn the conversation had taken and still had no idea what all of it meant.

"It broke me, Levi. And I don't think I can go through that again."

Levi's whole body went cold at the words and the implication and, without really knowing what he was doing, he took a step closer and started rambling, trying his best to change Eren's mind about what seemed inevitable from the way the brunet was acting.

"I know I wasn't the best at communicating back then. Hell, I'm probably not that much better right now, but I'm trying. I'm trying, Eren, and I'm willing to try my best for you. That's already something, right?" He took another step. "You know I didn't grow up surrounded by love and as a result I'm bad at accepting it and giving it back but-"

Levi was now facing the tall brunet, his head lifted to look at him in the eyes, trying to ignore the pained expression on Eren's face. He wanted to take his hands in his, but Eren looked so much like a frightened animal and Levi was afraid of scaring him away.

"I was emotionally constipated, I have always been, but I've changed. I can do better."

Levi winced at his own piss-poor choice of words, but was taken aback when he heard Eren laugh at him. It was short, simple. It stopped almost as soon as it had started, the brunet putting a hand in front of his mouth, trying to keep it in and hide the smile Levi could decipher by the small creases around his eyes.

"If you were constipated, then what was I? Having affection diarrhea?" Eren laughed further at him.

Levi's entirely body relaxed at that. It wasn't the best conversation, but it was a start. Eren being amused at his awful metaphor brought a small smile of his own to his face, and he shrugged while scratching the side of his neck.

"Yeah, well, we can put it like that." They both exchanged a smile before Eren cleared his throat and looked aside, a little embarrassed. "I don't want to be emotionally constipated anymore, but I can't change to the point of having affection diarrhea either." Eren raised an eyebrow at that and Levi cleared his own throat. "Okay, my point is, I want to do better, but I still have my limits. And I want us to work, I want to be together with you again, I told you that, but you need to know that I still have boundaries and I can't magically change my whole personality."

"So what, I need to change mine in order to match yours?" Eren crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"No, that's not my point! I know you have your limits too, and we've seen what happened when you reached them. But what happened back then was also me reaching mine. I felt-" Levi gritted his teeth, hoping that being honest wouldn't ruin his chances. "I felt overwhelmed back then. You were showering me in all this affection and I started suffocating because I wasn't used to it. You asked me to do and say things I wasn't used to in a way that made me feel… pressured. So, I closed myself off. And I agree, it wasn't the best solution, but we could have- we can do better. We just need to learn each other's boundaries and accept them."

"And then what?" Eren asked him, almost sceptic.

Levi tried not to be deterred by his attitude, he knew from a reliable source he was just scared and trying to protect himself as a result.

"And then, we learn how to meet each other halfway. How to respect each other's needs without crossing any boundaries nor making ourselves uncomfortable."

"And you think something like that can work?" The brunet squinted his eyes, doubt present in them but also hope.

"I think we can make it work if we want it to, yeah. We just need to find a balance."

"A balance…"

Eren turned to the side, his eyes lost on the scenery around them. Levi could sense his hesitation, the way he was trying to fight the hope the raven was trying to revive inside of him. Eren still had doubts, that much was clear, but Levi could also sense how much the brunet seemed to want to believe everything he had told him. It was the way Eren's eyes would light up with the things Levi had said, like he had been waiting for Levi to say them all along, like he had been trying to believe them for a long time and was relieved to know he wasn't the only one thinking about them, but then that hope would give place to doubt just as fast as it had appeared. It looked like there was a constant battle happening inside his head while they were talking, without a true winner yet. Levi hoped the right side would win, that Eren would be able to overcome his doubts, but he knew it wasn't as easy as it seemed.

If only Eren could give him the chance to help him fight this battle with him, maybe hope could win.

Levi once again reduced the distance between them. They were close enough that he could take Eren's hand or touch him if he wanted to, but he still didn't. Not just yet. Eren needed a little bit more of persuasion, of reassurance. Levi also needed to convince himself that, if they ever decided right in this moment to get back together, everything would turn out for the best.

"Look, I know I have my flaws, but-" Levi stopped himself before taking a deep breath and trying from a different angle. "Eren, you always bring out the worst and the best in me." It seemed to catch the brunet's attention this time which Levi took as a good sign to continue. "Before we broke up was the worst. And- you said it before, I don't often smile, or laugh, but with you- with you it always comes easy to me. Sometimes I just can't help but want to smile, or laugh, and also- look at how much I've been talking ever since I came here. Have you ever heard me talk that much?"

Eren snorted before finally giving his full attention back to the raven.

"True, you're really talkative today."

"Well, don't get used to it. This is an unusual situation so I'm a little, uh, _extreme_."

Eren laughed once more which prompted Levi to finally act on his pulsion and take one of Eren's hands in his. The brunet flinched a little but didn't make a move to remove his hand, which was another good sign.

"What I was meaning to say- what I was about to say, is… Eren, I've seen your best, and I've seen your worst. I know the fire that resides inside you, I've touched it, and I know I can handle it. The question is-"

Levi bit his bottom lip, trying not to get too overwhelmed by all the feelings boiling inside of him. He felt Eren squeeze his hand a little, giving him the courage he needed to continue.

"Can you handle mine?" A bit out of breath, Levi looked Eren's eyes widening from the surprise. "Can you handle the darkest part of myself and find it in you to love me anyway?"

"I-" Eren started but stopped himself short immediately.

He couldn't seem to be able to look at Levi more than a few seconds, his eyes moving left and right, up and down. He seemed to be deep in thoughts, and Levi couldn't help but feel extremely nervous and uncomfortable. He had handed the whole power of decision concerning their future to Eren and it was terrifying.

Would Eren accept him as he was and give their relationship another try? Were Eren's feelings strong enough for him to give another chance to Levi? It had been the whole purpose of the raven coming here in the first place, having a second chance, and now that he was finally about to find out the answer, he couldn't help but feel like he was either going to be pushed inside a precipice or being rescued from one.

"Yeah, I can do that."

Eren shyly smiled at him and just like that Levi could finally breath again. His hold on Eren's hand tightened, trying to ground himself to reality, and Levi couldn't help but go over the people he wanted to thank for this instant. Hanji, Carla, maybe even Armin. He had been offered another chance at happiness and it was all he had been wishing for.

"But if we're doing this, I just need-" Eren heaved a sigh before continuing. "I need you to speak to me, Levi. I know you need to be alone sometimes, I get it, I really do, but I- I can't read your mind. And sometimes I just need things to be said so that I know I'm not making things up. So I know where we stand, where _you_ stand. I- I need that."

Levi softly smiled at Eren while intertwining their fingers together. He was on cloud nine right now and his chest was on the verge of bursting from all the emotions that had been piling up there: relief, hope, happiness, love.

"I can do that."

Eren was the one to lace their other hands together, a more genuine smile on his face now. The doubt wasn't completely gone from his features, Levi could sense a part of him was still worrying, but he had agreed to take a step forward nonetheless and that was progress. It was enough for Levi now. There was no need to rush, no need to try to skip steps. They had all the time to figure out a way to make their relationship work this time and the raven was in no hurry. All he wanted, in this instant, was to savor the moment. Bask in the feeling of Eren's hands in his, the sight of Eren's mesmerizing eyes looking back at him, the sound of the wind and the leaves rustling, the smell of Eren's spicy perfume.

"Say it again," Eren whispered, their foreheads now touching.

"What?" Levi had been too focused on everything he was experiencing that he didn't understand what Eren had asked him to do.

"What you said at the party." Eren moved his head to the side, bringing his mouth close to Levi's ear. "Say it again."

It took Levi a moment to remember what part of their conversation at the party Eren was referring to. However, as Eren moved back to look at him once again, a gleam of anticipation in his eyes and his bottom lip between his teeth, Levi finally understood.

The raven smiled. It was the first time over the last few years that he was able to smile from the bottom of his heart. He then slowly unlaced his fingers with one of Eren's hand only to put it on his cheek, cupping his face like he had done that day, boring his silvery gaze right into the green eyes looking back at him.

"Eren," Levi drawled in a low voice.

"Yeah?" Eren sounded almost out of breath.

"I love you."

Levi looked at the way Eren's eyes widen, this time from happiness and not from surprise. The brunet then closed them, a wide smile on his lips, his face leaning a little to the side, nuzzling inside Levi's hand. Levi couldn't take his gaze away from how blissed Eren looked in that moment, making him feel proud of himself for managing to put such a vibrant smile on the face of the man he loved so dearly.

"One more time," Eren eventually said, opening his eyes again with a mischievous glint in them. Levi rolled his eyes at such a childish demand but also couldn't help smiling.

"Are you going to say it back? Or are you just being an infuriating and greedy piece of-"

Before Levi had the chance to finish his sentence, Eren used his free hand to smash their lips together, rendering the dark-haired man into a pile of mush. The brunet took advantage of his surprise to free his other hand to put it on Levi's hip, bringing their bodies closer to each other, and Levi surrendered under his touch. The moment he managed to regain control over his own body after the initial shock, he kissed Eren back with all the passion burning inside of him, both of his hands cupping his face.

Eren took Levi's bottom lip between his teeth, a playful smirk on his face as he moved away for a second as they both breathed heavily from the heated moment they had just experienced. Levi's mind was completely blank, still euphoric from the kiss and the feeling of Eren's hands brushing his undercut and caressing his side.

"I love you too, you ass," Eren whispered against his lips, his eyes glistening with both bliss and mischief.

Levi couldn't help but laugh at the reference to their first confession and smile at the sound of those four words leaving Eren's lips. It had been said with so much care and tenderness that it made Levi dizzy, a shiver going down his spine and his lips trembling.

Eren softly kissed him, short and fast, but mostly tender. Then he started again, and again, leaving butterfly kisses on the center of his lips, on the corner, before moving to his nose, forehead, cheeks… Everywhere he could reach, which only made Levi shiver harder under such intense affection. He used to feel suffocated when faced with this kind of care, but now it only made him ecstatic, wanting nothing more than for Eren to keep doing it.

They had gone through a very long and bumpy road, finding a lot of obstacles along their way. One of the biggest had made them go their separate ways for a while, but now they had found each other again. And as Eren kept kissing him, messing up his hair like his usual habit, Levi couldn't find it in himself to care. That bump on their path had only made them stronger, and at long last had reunited them.

They could finally be together again and, in that moment, it was all Levi had ever wanted.

* * *

Eren had been proposed to twice.

The first time hadn't ended very well, but it had contributed to made him realize he wasn't with the right person. The one he desperately wanted to be with hadn't been the person kneeling in front of him that day, but the one who had passionately kissed him a few moments earlier after telling him the words he had been waiting to hear his whole life.

The second time, however, had been from the person he had imagined spending the rest of his life with countless times, the person who had broken his heart and then mended it back together with words he would never forget.

Eren said yes without hesitation.


End file.
